This isn't offensive because the Blessed Mother should not or does not occasionally wear bikinis or sip margaritas. If she is anything like my mother, I bet she has her own daiquiri recipe and a favorite poolside chair.

This is offensive because Jesus, as our Lord and Savior, has suffered enough and should be spared images of His parents partying. We owe Him at least that very modest favor. Surely we would all, if we could, erase all traces of our parents' past lives and avoid their embarrassing tendencies, we would. Nobody who has watched their completely-lit grandmother hustle half the cute boys at school at pool to the tune of over a hundred dollars could have anything but sympathy for Jesus Christ today.

See, if it were a great big 'beach party' drawing with several other religious figures depicted and no behavior which is objectionable to any faith (no alcohol, for example,) then you could just say "We have a Unitarian on the staff," and it'd be shrugged off. Ganesha and Jesus playing beach volleyball against Krishna and Confucius, the prophet Mohammed sunning himself with his face obscured by a big umbrella and a pet cat on the towel with him, Pope John Paul II sharing sunscreen with Gandhi, the Blessed Mother and Kali handing out popsicles together...that'd be classy and kind of awesome.

Plus, you could draw a lifeguard rescuing L.Ron Hubbard in water-wings.

The Lady of Guadalupe is a tangible icon of purportedly miraculous origin, similar to the Shroud of Turin. It is highly revered among Mexican Catholics, and there are quite of those in New Mexico.

The Santa Fe Reporter's "creative" staff and editor surely knew this. Running that cover was a dick move, and they deserve all the Internet hate that they get.

I have to agree. Here, after seeing the posts about the source it's pretty obvious this was a dick move.

For all the "you must tolerate my dickery" assholes here that say otherwise. fark YOU. This was a thorough dick move and it's amazingly obvious if you know what to look for. They broke the single Wheaton Rule, folks. Don't be a dick.

And thus the people responsible should be cock punched repeatedly until they each give a genuine apology, admitting they knew what they were doing and that they sincerely apologize and promise to NEVER do it again.

The first rule to getting along is this; treat others as you'd wish to be treated. Simple as that. Is it THAT farking hard to understand? Is it?! They knew that this would upset people and offend other human beings... and still chose to do it... it's a dick thing to do. Period.

If you expect others to respect you ... if you don't want others to think you're a dick... you don't intentionally disrespect others. Is that so farking hard to get?

BarkingUnicorn:The Lady of Guadalupe is a tangible icon of purportedly miraculous origin, similar to the Shroud of Turin.

Although December was very late in the growing season for flowers to bloom, Juan Diego found at the usually barren hilltop Castilian roses, not native to Mexico, which the Virgin arranged in his peasant Tilma cloak.

Uhh... God? I realize you created the universe and everything, but invasive species are pretty bad.